AS Roma's Francesco Totti to retire from playing at the end of the season

The 40-year-old. who has scored 250 goals in more than 600 appearances for the capital club, is to take on a new non-playing role.

Speaking as he was presented to the press, Monchi said: " In terms of Totti, I already knew that there was an agreement with the club that this would be his final year as a player, then he'd start as a director.

"Francesco is Roma, I want to be as close to him as possible. I'd love to learn even one per cent of the huge amount that he knows," Monchi added in quotes reported by several media.

Totti's current contract runs until the end of the season, when he will bring down the curtain on a career which has seen him play senior football for just one club.

He has won two Serie A titles, as well as the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa on two occasions each during his 24 years with Roma.

Appearing for his country at all levels from under-15, Totti scored nine goals in 58 senior appearances for Italy before his retirement from international football in 2006 after winning the World Cup.